GB2432514A

GB2432514A - A tranportable folding activity chair

Info

Publication number: GB2432514A
Application number: GB0523754A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Robert Martin Beddall
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-11-23
Filing date: 2005-11-23
Publication date: 2007-05-30
Also published as: GB0523754D0

Abstract

A folding chair consisting of two box sections 1, 2 connected together by two parallel pairs of hinged plates 3a, 3b, which in use allow the top and bottom box sections to separate whilst remaining connected together. The assembly, when in use, has a seat 10 and a seat back 5, slideably mounted side tables 7, a plug in centre table 9 and provision for storage 11 in the bottom box section. When not in use, accessories can be stored in the box sections which come together to form a single box shape equipped with a handle and two wheels to facilitate easy transportation [14, 17 Fig. 3].

Description

A TRANSPORTABLE FOLDING ACTIVITY CHAIR

This invention is a transportable folding activity chair consisting of two rectangular or box sections. These box sections expand and also provide for storage of accessories and the top section opens to provide a seat squab and seat back and contains side tables. The whole assembly is collapsible and compacts into a suitcase type assembly for transport.

There are many thousands of examples of folding chairs in the art. Most tend to be a fairly basic or utility type of design and in nearly all cases they are created to supply a particular niche market. Typical examples of such folding chairs and their markets are, deckchairs, garden chairs, camping chairs, push chairs, wheel chairs, nursery seats, high chairs, sofa beds and occasional dining chairs. There are in fact so many examples that no attempt can be made to provide an inclusive summary of the art though some examples have been chosen purely as examples of technical background.

An example of a typical utility type folding chair can be found in GB 2 370 495 which shows a fairly simple frame with a fabric seat portion and there are many other examples of similar construction using different materials for backs and seat portions.

A progression of the simple design is to be found in GB 2 358 133 where an example of a folding chair demonstrates the principal of returning to an easily transportable shape in that it takes the shape of a cube when fully folded.

Finally a further enhancement in design can be found in GB 1 316 620 which shows a chair which can be folded into the form of a suitcase and opened into the form of either a push chair or a child car seat.

Most of the examples in the art including the above samples of the technology are focussed on providing low cost transportable seating for homes, gardens, holidays or child care. There are however few examples in the art, outside the area of wheelchairs and high chairs which cater for the needs of a specific activity, particularly a leisure activity to be undertaken by the user when actually using the chair. That is to say when the chair is targeted at an activity by virtue of the way it is designed and constructed, rather than the way it is used.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a folding activity chair which takes the form of a suitcase to become easily transportable and to unfold into a functional unit which can be used as a writing workstation, computer workstation, computer games station or a seat for taking meals which may include provision for a worktable and provision for containing a laptop computer or computer games console or the like, both whilst folded into a suitcase form and also when fully opened and in use. It will be understood however that the chair may have a number of different uses supporting a range of different activities to be undertaken by the user when the chair is in use, which are not discussed here the current description of uses being given by way of example only.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a folding activity chair consisting of top box section which opens to provide a back rest and reveal a seat back and a seat squab and a bottom section with storage facilities. Both top and bottom sections are connected together with two parallel hinged plates on each side of the assembly running from front to rear.

The said top and bottom sections move away from each other to open up the assembly and remain connected together by the hinged plates. The structure when fully open can be stabilised by a hinged flap which is brought down to form a lock which prevents the closure of the two sections.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a folding activity chair as outlined in the first aspect where the bottom section of the assembly contains storage provision for accessories and also for a laptop computer or portable games console.

According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a folding activity chair as outlined in the first or first and second aspects which is equipped with a plug in work table which in use can be mounted either on the left or right hand side of the top part of the assembly and stored when not in use within the assembly.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention there is provided a folding activity chair as outlined in any previous aspect which has one or more side tables which are slideably fixed to the top part of the assembly which in use pull out from the top assembly to form surfaces on which any item can be placed.

The invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example with reference to the attached drawings in which:-Figure 1 Is an illustration of a fully open chair showing the seat back with cushion, the mounted work table, the side sliding table, the hinged plates connecting the top and bottom sections and the lower storage compartment Figure 2 Shows the assembly fully folded into a suitcase form with extended pull along handle. The built in rollers are not visible in this view.

Figure 3 Illustrates the assembly in position ready to open up the rollers are visible on this view but the pull handle has been slid back into the assembly.

Figure 4 Shows the start of the opening process where the seat back is part raised but the top and bottom sections of the assembly have not yet been extended Figure 5 Shows the assembly fully opened with the pull handle also shown is the drop down hinged flap which locks the top and bottom section in the open position.

Referring now to figure 1, construction consist of a top box section 1, and a bottom box section 2, connected by hinged plates 3. On the right hand side hinged plate 3a and on the left hand side hinged plate 3b. These hinged plates each consist of two parts connected by a horizontal centre hinge running parallel to the top and bottom box sections. The hinged plates are connected to the top and bottom sections by further hinges running parallel to the centre hinge. A support flap 6 is hinged to the underside of the top section I and this support 6 moves down to connect with tracks 13 mounted on support surface 12. When in position, with the seat in the fully open position support flap 6 prevents the seat from returning to the folded position.

The top box section has a hinged lid 4, with a padded seat back 5 and a padded seat squab 10. The hinged lid 4 also has a section 14, covering the front of the top box, this is not shown in figure 1 but shown in figures 2 and 4.

The top box 1, may also be equipped with one or more side tables 7, which are slideably mounted so as to retract into the main body of the top box I when not in use. A work table 9, is provided which is mounted on support 8.

Support 8 may be inserted into a socket 15, in the top box. Sockets 15, are provided to allow the table to be mounted on the right or left hand side of the top box. When not in use the table 9 and the support 8 can be stored within the assembly.

The bottom box 2 is equipped with a storage compartment 11 in which can be stored particularly but not exclusively a lap top computer or computer games console.

Figures 2 to 5 show the transportable folding activity chair in various stages between fully open and closed.

In figure 2 the assembly is fully closed with the transport handle 16 extended and the unit can be pulled along on its rollers 17 which are not visible in figure 2 but are shown in figure 3.

In figure 4 the opening process has begun with the raising of the back panel 4, and in figure 5 the unit is almost fully open and support flap 6 has moved down to connect with tracks 13 mounted on support surface 12. This last movement makes the assembly rigid in the fully open position.

In the open position the back panel 4, is supported by a sliding prop 18 which can be seen in figures 2, 3, and 4. This prop is fixed and pivoted at point 19, and slides in tracks 20.

In addition to the features so far described there are many accessory possibilities and examples of such accessories are a leg rest which may be slideably or otherwise attached to the base of the chair, arm rests which can be stored within the chair and fitted in position when in use and finally a headrest which can also be slideably or otherwise stored within the top section of the chair and attached to the back when in use.

When fully open the chair can support the weight of any adult and can be used for any purpose though it is primarily intended for use as a computer There are many different possible embodiments for this invention and each embodiment disclosed in this specification including the drawings is given by way of example only and may be replaced by alternative embodiments serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise each embodiment disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar embodiments which can incorporate the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS

1. A folding chair consisting of two connected box sections which when not in use move close together to form a single hexahedron shape.
2. A folding chair as claimed in claim I whereby in use the top box section is raised vertically from the bottom box by a collapsible spacing means.
3. A folding chair as claimed in claim 2 whereby when in use the top section opens to form a seat back and reveal a seat squab.
4. A folding chair as claimed in claim 2 whereby the collapsible spacing means consists of two pairs of parallel hinged plates one pair mounted on either side of the assembly to the top of the bottom box and the base of the top box.

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5. A folding chair as claimed in claim 4 which when in use can be secured in the Is..

raised position by means of hinged flap which in use is raised or lowered to * : come between the said hinged plates and prevent them from folding.

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6. A folding chair as claimed in any previous claim where the bottom box section * : contains provision for storing accessories.

7. A folding chair as claimed in any previous claim which contains a plug in work table for mounting in use into the top section of the chair 8. A folding chair as claimed in any previous claim which has one or more side tables which are slideably mounted to the top box section of the folding chair.

9. A folding chair as claimed in any previous claim which when not in use and formed into the shape of a single hexahedron is equipped with a pull out handle.

10. A folding chair as claimed in claim 9 which has two external wheels. * S *5*5

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